B1000 — Vision
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 3, Item B1000.
Response options
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Adequate — sees fine detail, such as regular print in newspapers/books |
| 1 | Impaired — sees large print, but not regular print in newspapers/books |
| 2 | Moderately impaired — limited vision; not able to see newspaper headlines but can identify objects |
| 3 | Highly impaired — object identification in question, but eyes appear to follow objects |
| 4 | Severely impaired — no vision or sees only light, colors, or shapes; eyes do not appear to follow objects |
| - | Dash — no information (rare; CMS expects infrequent use) |
How to score it
Test with the patient's customary close-vision appliance in place (glasses or other visual appliances) and in adequate lighting, as close to SOC/ROC as possible. Have the patient read regular-size print in a book or newspaper aloud, starting with larger headlines and ending with the finest print. For a patient who can't read aloud, substitute numbers or pictures at the same print sizes rather than skipping the item. Codes 2-4 also account for the ability to identify objects nearby and whether the patient's eyes appear to follow movement, not just print size. Dash is a valid response (rare) when no information is available.
The common error
Testing vision without the patient's glasses on, or in poor lighting — both understate the patient's actual functional vision and can push the code toward more severe impairment than the patient experiences day-to-day.
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 3, Item B1000. Verified 2026-04-26.
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